Construction progresses at Grossmont high schools

Making progress while the sun shone and students and staff were away this summer, the Grossmont Union High School District made improvements at nine of its 11 campuses with Proposition H and Proposition U school bond money. Among the larger projects:

• Work at El Cajon Valley High School in El Cajon included modernizing and expanding a building featuring a state-of-the-art welding shop, classrooms, staff work rooms, and the first of several new special education suites. Construction cost is $3.6 million.

• At El Capitan High School in Lakeside, a $6 million upgrade began on the school’s agriculture career technical education program, including a new building with three classroom labs, new animal husbandry barn, horticultural green house and farm equipment machine shop. Completion is expected by February 2012.

• At Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, a $11.3 million, 21-classroom complex is being built to replace World War II era relocatable buildings. A 50-meter pool — the school’s first on site — and pool complex are also being built and expected to be completed by March.

• At Grossmont High School in La Mesa, a new $2.7 million, 6,200-square-foot child development center is slated to be up and running by February. Bidding opens this month for a 31-classroom humanities building with a $12.5 million construction budget.

• At Helix Charter High School in La Mesa, 19 classrooms are being brought up to new district standards. The $5 million project is expected to be open to students and staff later next month.

• At Monte Vista High School in Spring Valley, four classroom buildings are being modernized and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant facilities added. The new library and art building will be finished this fall. Construction cost is $8 million.

• At Santana High School in Santee, a 10-classroom building and the library have received a face-lift. Title 9 work is also complete, including construction of an announcer’s booth and concession stand at the girls’ softball field and associated ADA upgrades. Total construction cost was $3.4 million.

Nearly $322 of the Proposition H program’s $327 million has been spent. The bond was approved by voters in March 2004 to fund repairs of aging schools in the district and construct a new high school.

Nearly $80 million of Proposition U funds have been spent. The $417 million bond measure passed in 2008 to complete modernization of existing high schools and to build a new one serving Alpine and Blossom Valley.